The present application is directed to toner cartridges and, more specifically, to cartridges with a bearing and locating member.
Image forming devices use toner for producing images on a media sheet. The toner may be housed within a cartridge that is removable from the image forming device. Removal and installation of the cartridges may occur during initial start-up of the device, when the toner has been depleted from the cartridge, and miscellaneous other occurrences.
The cartridges may include various elements that rotate about a shaft. The elements may include agitating members to agitate and move the toner, an auger for directing the toner towards an outlet, and drive members for powering the various elements. Each of these elements may be driven by a gear and therefore location of these elements relative to each other is critical to their functionality. The cartridge should include some manner of accurately positioning the shafts.
The cartridge should further be constructed to prevent toner leakage from the interior reservoir. Toner leaks may result in print defects, and toner inadvertently contacting the user or the user workstation. The cartridge should also be constructed to work properly in forming quality images, yet not be constructed in a manner that greatly increases the overall cost of the cartridge. Cost may be a major factor in the purchasing decisions of consumers when selecting a cartridge.